Pub. 1 2012 Issue 1

Summer Issue 2012 11 The Chevy Volt is eligible for a sticker that allows access to California’s HOV lanes with only one person in the vehicle. What do you see as the dominant trends for the industry in the next 5-10 years? Definitely credit challenges. These past few years will hang around on people’s credit bureaus for a while and eventually they will repair their credit to get them back in the market. I believe we will be part of the solution towards the economic recovery. As a Chevrolet dealer, it must be gratifying to see how the company has been able to re-invent itself in the past few years. How have the changes at Chevrolet affected your dealership? Our sales have been on a steady increase and we have a great product to sell. Chevrolet is reacting to the market faster than it used to. It is far from perfect but no manufacturer can claim that title. It seems to be Chevrolet that realizes they need the dealers as much as we need them, and that helps us all succeed. After experiencing and surviving the industry’s most challenging economic period in its history a few years ago, what lessons did you learn? Are you doing anything different now than you did before the economic crisis to better prepare your dealership for future market fluctuations? Managing our employee count is one major thing we all have to watch and control tightly.We did not terminate any employees during the downturn. We lowered our employee count by not replacing people that quit or retired. We combined jobs and people became more widely cross-trained. When business is booming you tend to get lax on expenses and I think all dealers have learned that lesson at some point in their career. You have been working at Ron Baker Chevrolet for over three decades. Are you the longest tenured employee at the dealership? No, there are a few employees who have been here longer than me. In fact, we have a few employees whose children have come to work for us as well. There are a couple of fathers and sons working together in our service department andwe have some administrative per- sonnel that have been here longer thanme. What inspired you to serve as a leader in the Association? I wanted to become involved in the NCDA to learn more about the organization’s processes and what its goals and accomplishments are. I think it is good for all dealers to be involved and get outside our own little bubbles. What do you think makes the San Diego County automotive market different than other markets around the state? We are our own segregated market. We are bordered by Mexico, the Pacific Ocean, the mountains and Camp Pendleton. We don’t blend into other areas. Are you involved in any civic or charitable organizations? My wife and I support the SDYCS program in San Diego. I have also made that my charity of choice for the dealership. It is a shelter for home- less youth. Kids 12 to 17 go there when they might have an incarcerated parent, a parent with a substance abuse problem or if they have just been abandoned. It is a great program and the kids are wonderful. Kids don’t get to pick their parents and some of us got luckier than others. We need to help them. What do you think makes membership in the NCDA beneficial? It is a connection for all dealers in San Diego to work off of. We all have great business relations and we can all be stronger as a team. If there is an issue that arises we can notify all the dealers quickly. Describe your all-time favorite vehicle (it can be one you’ve owned, or something on your wish list). I love the early ‘60s Lincoln Convertible with suicide doors. My wife hates the look and said she wouldn’t want to ride in it if I got one. That still would not stop me. Describe your background. What did you study in college? Have you always lived in California? I didn’t go to college. I look back and wish I would have, but too late now. I graduated a year early from high school and have always worked. My first job in the auto industry was at Peck Buick as a parts driver. Not toomany people know this, but I was 17 at the time I got the job but told them I was 18. Luckily the rules were much more lax then. Tell us about your family. I have been married to my wife Diane for almost 26 years. We have 3 children. My oldest Sarah and her husband Chris have given us two beautiful granddaughters. Sarah was also my office manager until she decided to be a stay-at-home mom late last year. My youngest daughter, Jacqueline handles the social media for the dealership and lots of admin- istrative work that helps the sales department. My youngest is my son William. He is currently going into his junior year at Loyola Marymount University. His major is business finance. He works for the dealership during the summer. This year he is on the line selling. What’s your favorite way to spend your free time? I spend a lot of time with my family. We love going to Hawaii. During the summer we ride wave runners and during the winter my son and I ride quads at Ocotillo Wells and Superstition Mountain in the desert.